If you're replacing an old tube TV, and you're wondering about the cost to power a new set, you may be pleasantly surprised. Many of today's TVs won't add more than a couple of dollars to your monthly energy bill. Some can add a lot more, however, so it's wise to look at power consumption as you shop.

Plus, with the transition from analog to digital TV, millions of people are buying new sets, most of which are larger than the ones they replace. If most new TV buyers choose energy efficient sets, the cumulative effect on the environment could be big.

Whether you're interested in keeping your energy bill down, or choosing an earth-friendly set, we'll show you how to factor power consumption into your purchase decision. And we'll show you how you can cut the power consumption of any TV just by making a few simple tweaks to the picture controls.

Looking for a label?

The original ENERGY STAR® rating for TVs only measured standby power (the amount of power the set consumes when it's turned off), which accounts for a small fraction of the power TVs consume. The new ENERGY STAR 3.0 rating also looks at power consumption when the TV is on, providing a much clearer idea of how much power a TV uses. This rating took effect on November 1, 2008.

To save power with any TV, adjust your picture settings

Monster's HDTV calibration DVD can help you get a better picture and save power.

Fortunately, you can cut the power consumption of any TV if you calibrate it or simply reduce the brightness and contrast. This is also a good way to improve your TV's picture for a more detailed, cinematic effect. (TVs come from the factory with their brightness jacked way up, so they'll stand out on a brightly lit showroom floor — but that's probably not what'll look best in your living room.) See our article on TV picture settings for plenty of tips on picture-improving (and potentially power-saving) adjustments.

Find out more

If you'd like to learn more about electronics and power consumption, and the related impact on the environment, here are two places to start.

• CEA's mygreenelectronics.com site — Along with plentiful info, this site includes an energy use calculator to help you understand how much it costs to power your electronics.
• ENERGY STAR — This site for the government's ENERGY STAR TV standards includes all kinds of useful tidbits.

Data for our most popular TVs

In the chart below, you'll find the ENERGY STAR® data for our most popular HDTVs, sorted by screen size. The figures also appear in the "Features & Specs" tab on TV pages at Crutchfield.com.

As you look over the results, you'll notice that LCD TVs tend to be more energy efficient than plasma models of the same size, though there were a few plasma models that were surprisingly thrifty.

To calculate an estimated monthly operating cost for each set, we assume 6 hours per day of TV watching and 18 hours a day in standby mode. We also assume that power costs about 8 cents per kilowatt hour. Bear in mind that residential power costs. vary greatly across the country, from about 8 cents per kWh hour to over 20 cents per kWh. Look at your power bill to see how much you're paying per kWh. Multiply that figure by the kWh figure in our chart to get a more precise operating cost estimate for your locale.

We hope you find this information useful. Please email comments and suggestions to environment@crutchfield.com.